This is What Democracy Sounds Like

In this episode, listen to the personal stories of MCU organizers about the work over the past year. This work cannot happen without the financial support of the community. You can participate by going to https://mcustlouis.org/give/

Recently, a group of mothers who support MCU heard the national call to action following the Nov election. They challenged MCU to match their donation of $20,020 and build our financial power through new sustainers, or monthly donors. Our sustainers are critically important to our work and their donations go directly to those working on one of our 4 campaigns; sacred votes, break the school to prison pipeline, ex-incarcerated people organizing and fighting for environmental justice in St Louis.

Direct action pushes elected officials to pay attention to issues they might ignore. But what happens when an activist enters government service? How does one bring the activist mindset to institutions that work on bargains and not upsetting the status quo? We talk with Rev. Darryl Gray about this balance and how Cori Bush used relational organizing skills to gain support in unexpected places. We also discuss the nature of the severely divided politics of Missouri.

This episode features highlights from the MCU Raise the Age Virtual Rally, recorded on December 10th over Zoom.

On Jan 1, 2021, Missouri becomes the latest of 45 states who have raised the age of juvenile jurisdiction! This means 17-year-olds will no longer be automatically tried and incarcerated as adults. But there is more work to be done because the Missouri Legislature has left this law unfunded. Hear from those impacted, learn about the law, and join us in calling for funding "Raise the Age." Contact [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] to urge them to act!

https://mcustlouis.org/issues/expo-mo/save-the-bill-save-our-youth/

We talk with Ronnie Amiyn of EXPO about two actions coming up, Dec. 9th and Dec. 17th. On Dec. 9th, EXPO and MCU will host a virtual conference on housing discrimination of men and women returning from incarcerated. On Dec. 17th, EXPO and MCU will lead an action about the conditions at the Dismas House for those transitioning out of prison.

We also continue our discussion with Maria Millier or Our Lives Matter about the spread of COVID-19 within the Missouri Prison system.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1308775709457009

https://www.facebook.com/EXPOSTL

https://www.facebook.com/Our-LIVES-Matter-1097993126883903

The Missouri State Legislature has been called back for a very rare second special session. On the agenda is allocating COVID-19 relief funds and a pet issue for the Governor. But there have also been hearings to lay the groundwork for reforming the use of force by police in Missouri. Where do things stand and what can we expect from the 2021 regular session? To find out, we talk with State Senator-Elect Steven Roberts.

Mark your calendar for December 10 & 11, when MCU will rally to demand that the State of Missouri fully fund and implement Raise the Age, which passed with bipartisan support in 2018. We talk with LaTrisha Gandy, Organizer for MCU Break the Pipeline, Karmahn Leach, a parent organizer for MCU, and Kristian Blackman, an Organizer for Campaign for Youth Justice, about Raise the Age and the need to pressure the Missouri legislature to fund an implement the change.

Listeners can contact members of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Juvenile Justice to demand that they act to protect Missouri children. https://raisetheagemo.squarespace.com/take-action

Follow MCU for details on our action to Raise the Age

https://www.facebook.com/MCUStLouis

https://twitter.com/MCUStLouis

https://www.instagram.com/mcustlouis/

The Missouri Department of Corrections impacts families, putting their lives in limbo, filling lives with anxiety. Will my loved one get enough to eat? Will they be safe from violence? Will they be safe from disease? Will they be cared for if sick or injured? Will they come home to the family? Hear the story of a man incarcerated in the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center and his wife. Then join the movement to force MoDOC to treat men like him with dignity and respect.

https://www.facebook.com/EXPOSTL

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Our-LIVES-Matter-1097993126883903/

Why are you voting? Need some last-minute inspiration before going to the polls? Revisit the MCU Public Meeting from this past summer. Hear inspirational messages from Rev. James Ross, II, and Rev. Dr. Ben Sanders. Listen to testimony from citizens who are impacted by health care policy, gerrymandering, and disenfranchisement. This August, we ensured equity in health care by passing Medicaid Expansion. Today, Nov. 3, we protect fair systems of democracy by voting NO on Amendment 3. And we get ready to expand voting rights to those on probation or parole through the Unlock the Vote movement.

Amendment 3 overturns the will of the 62% of Missouri voters who passed Clean Missouri in 2018. It puts redistricting in the hands of politicians, it sets the stage for the most extreme gerrymandering in the country, it will not 1.5 million Missourians for representation, and the politicians behind it have been lying about it all along. We talk with Sean Soendker Nicholson and Lexi Amos of the Clean Missouri Campaign and Robert Karr, an MCU organizer about the dirty details on Amendment 3.

#NoOn3

https://www.cleanmissouri.org/

There have been two recent court cases in Missouri about absentee and mail-in voting. What happened, and how does it affect you? We talk with Jennifer Lohman of the St. Louis Voter Protection Coalition gives us the answers and other tips on making sure your vote counts.

Find voter information at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections

To volunteer to protect voting rights, go to https://protectthevote.net/

If you have questions about any aspect of voting or are having problems voting or at a polling place, go to https://866ourvote.org/, call or text866-OUR-VOTE, or reach out on Twitter at @866OURVOTE or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/866OurVote